Method of welding rails



Dec. 31, 1929. P. RUGGEBERG 1,741,437

METHOD OF WELDING RAILS Filed Dec. 10, 1928 INVENTOR ms ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 31, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MTE'IHOZD F WELDING RAILS Application filed December 10, 1928, Serial No. 324,868, and in Germany February 17, 1928.

The invention relates to certain improvements in the method of welding rails by means of superheated alumino-thermic metal, in which the ends of the rails are separated by a relatively wide spaces; the object if the invention being to effect a substantially homogeneous wear resisting joint by interposing in the space between the rail ends and separated from the faces of the rail ends by relaio tively narrow spaces, a metallic section having substantially the same cross section as that of the rails and preferably of the same composition as the rails, the insert being held in proper alignment and in spaced relation by it means of keys or wedges.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of the mold, showing the insert and the keys securing the same, as viewed from line l1 of Fig. 2:, and

Fig. 2 is a side elevation showing the ends of the rails, the insert and the preferred mode of securing the same in position.

When the alumino-thermic welding process is to be applied to rails already laid, relatively wide spaces are frequently found to exist between the ends of the rails, which, if not taken care of, will necessitate the use of large quantities of superheated alumino-the'rmic metal which would result in melting or washing away considerable portions of the rail ends, so that a comparatively broad zone of cast alien metal would be left in the joint between therail ends which would not have'the wear resisting qualities of the metal forming the treads of the rails andwould, therefore, tend to wear or scour out under the wheels of traffic.

According to the presentinvention, this objection is avoided by interposing a relatively thick profile piece of metal, preferably of the same cross section and of the same composition as the rails, in the space between the rail ends to be welded, so that only two narrowspaces remain between the rail ends and the inserted metal'section, the width of which spaces is just sufficient to allow the alumino-thermic metal to pass. In order to maintain the insert in correct position during the pouring of the superheated molten metal in the mold surrounding and defining the joint, small keys or wedges are forced between the profile piece and the surfaces of the rail ends. Even though the poured metal dissolves or washes away these small locking members, this result is immaterial in that they will have fulfilled their function in holding the insert in proper alignment with the rails until the requisite quantity of molten metal has been poured into the mold.

In the accompanying drawings, a, a indicate the rails which are to be welded together and which are separated by a relatively wide space, in which is interposed an insert 6, preferably of the same profile or cross section as the rails, and also preferably of'the same material as the rails, said insert being held in position by relatively small keys 0 interposed between the rail ends and the adjacent faces of the insert 6. The rail ends with the 7 interposed insert and locking keys are enclosed in the two part refractory mold e of a type generally employed in alumino-thermic welding.

This method, aside from reducing the size of the zone of alien metal in the rail joint and the saving of alumino-thermic wearing material, has the advantage of effecting a very firm and wear resisting welded oint.

In order to still further reduce the zone of so alien metal in the oint, it will be of advantage to jump the weld by forcing the ends of the rails toward each other after the molten metal has been poured into the mold, the jumping operation serving to-press out a portion of the g molten metal.

lfiihat I claim is:

l. The method of Welding rails separated by a relatively wide space, which comprises enclosing the rail ends in a mold, inserting in said space a metal section of the same cross section as the rails, maintaining the insert in spaced relation to the rail ends, and pouring superheated molten metal about the rail ends and into the spaces between the same and 05 the insert.

2. The method of welding rails separated by a relatively wide space, which comprises enclosing the rail ends in a mold, inserting in said space a metal section of the same cross section as the rails, locking the insert in place and pouring superheated molten metal about the rail ends and into the spaces between th same and the insert.

3. The method of Welding rails separated by a relatively wide space, which comprises enclosing the rail ends in a mold, inserting in said space a metal section of the same cross section as the rails; maintaining the insert in spaced relation to the rail ends, pouring superheated molten metal. about the rail ends and into the spaces between the same and the insert, and finally foroin the rail ends to- Ward each-other to extru e a portion of the molten metal.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature.

PAUL RUGGEBERG. 

